My Resolution
by No One Mourns the Wicked
Summary: It's New Year's Eve, and all Lisa wants to do is get through the Lux's annual end of the year party. However, not even that will easy as Jackson Rippner once again slips uninvited into her life.


Lisa stared with boredom into her glass of Vodka. Cynthia stood beside her, eyes narrowed as she pointed out various available men to her best friend. But Lisa's mind was somewhere else, and she had missed at least the last five names.

"Hello? Earth to Lisa?" Cynthia joked, waving her hand back and forth in front of Lisa's face.

"Huh?" She looked almost startled as she replied, then managed a smile. "Sorry, Cythn. I guess I wasn't in the room for a minute there."

"That's alright. No one too important came up," she grinned.

Both women were leaning against the wall, free to glance around the room or stare off into the dim lights. It was the Lux Atlantic's annual New Year's Eve party, and all the staff was invited along with their friends or family. But Lisa hadn't felt like bringing anyone. In fact, if not for Cynthia, she wasn't so sure she would be here at all. Ever since the Red Eye flight she had lost the part of herself that she had always put into her job. Work was no longer her first priority. Unfortunately, she hadn't found a replacement for that number one spot in her life.

"Ooo, who's that?" Cynthia said suddenly. "Look at his eyes." She jabbed Lisa, who reluctantly looked up from her drink.

Lisa's breath caught in her throat. She did not see the man, not entirely, but she did see his eyes. The blue, bright pair were the only things to hold her attention thus far. Not because they were astoundingly beautiful, or colored in such a rare shade, but because they were his.

"Jackson," she breathed.

"What?" Cynthia asked. "Who's…"

But Lisa didn't reply. Her eyes had flickered for only a moment, and then he was gone. "Did you just see him?" she asked quickly.

"The guy with the eyes?" Cynthia asked. "I think every girl in the room just saw him. I wish my eyes were that brown. Or bronze." She shrugged.

Lisa frowned. "Brown? But, his eyes were blue."

It was Cynthia's turn to arch an eyebrow. "I think we were looking at different guys, then," she said finally.

"No," Lisa interrupted strongly. "He was _right_ there! Exactly where you were pointing!" Her breathing was becoming quicker.

"Lise, what's wrong? He was just a guy…" Cynthia turned to her friend, laying a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Lisa said finally. "I must be going crazy."

"Hey, it happens to the best of us, right?" she smiled. Lisa returned the expression.

"Right."

The next hour or so passed without any more of Lisa's supposed hallucinations. Cynthia even got her to dance a little, or at least sway to the pounding noise of the live band. And then it was time for the countdown. A large, flat screen television was hooked up at the center of the room, and all eyes turned to it as their station's local newscaster began to countdown to the New Year. Cynthia grinned to one side of her face before sighing.

"Too bad I wasn't able to snag a guy for the countdown," she said.

Lisa laughed. "One day you'll meet a guy, and he'll kiss you every New Year's Eve, I promise."

Cynthia shrugged. "I hope so."

_Ten! _

_Nine!_

_Eight!_

"Ready for 2006?" Cynthia asked.

_Seven!_

"Well, ready or not, it's coming, isn't it?" Lisa smiled. But in truth, she felt like she was ready. Ready for a new year, for the chance to finally move on. She was musing over this when she saw again a flash of blue, of steely eyes.

_Six! _

Lisa was looking around wildly now, having just lost sight of him again. But he wasn't around, if ever he had been in the first place.

_Five!_

_Four!_

"Cynthia…" Lisa said in a panicky voice.

_Three!_

_Two!_

"What's—"

_ONE!_

The lights shut off instantly. Lisa only heard the cheers of the crowd for a moment before another body was pressing her up against the wall. The movement was so quick that she didn't have time to cry out or initially resist. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she felt him against her, as forceful and passionate as he had been in the plane's restroom. His parted lips fell open on hers, desperate and hungry, and she uttered only one muttered plea before giving in completely. Her arms snaked around his and he moaned into her mouth, his entire body shaking and gripping to her as though she were the one thing that could still him and leave him calm. Then, just as quickly as he had initiated the intimacy, he broke away, pressing his forehead against hers as he breathed out raggedly.

When Lisa opened her eyes she realized the lights had come back on, and streamers, confetti, and noise makers littered the floor. But his eyes bore into hers with such intensity that she was afraid to break the contact. His breath was hot on her lips as he whispered:

"I had just one resolution."

Lisa swallowed.

"To tell you that I love you."

Her eyes widened, but before she could respond further he left, falling from her arms and fleeing out the door. Still stunned, Lisa could barely move, and it was a moment before she even tried. When she got to the exit, however, and peeked around the corner, he was nowhere to be found.

Cynthia jogged up to her and caught her by the arm. "Who _was_ that?" she asked in disbelief.

"Jackson," Lisa breathed. "It was…" She pressed a hand to her forehead, shutting her eyes tightly as she leaned back against the wall.

"Jackson?" Cynthia asked, perplexed. Then it hit her. "Not Jackson from—well, you know…"

Lisa nodded, practically giving Cynthia permission to start a worried, gossiping rant. "Oh, shit," she said slowly. "You just _made out_ with the man who tried to kill you, your father, the Kee—"

"I know!" Lisa said suddenly. Then, more quietly: "I know."

"What was he doing here?" Cynthia asked in a heated whisper. "And _don't_ tell me you invited him!"

"Of course I didn't!" Lisa shot back. Then she pushed herself off the wall and hurriedly passed the co-workers that blocked her exit. Cynthia caught up with her.

"Where are you going?"

"Home," Lisa said. "I need to go home."

"You should let me drive," Cynthia insisted. "I can spend the night, if you want. After all, who knows if he's still around?" She gasped. "What if he's going to your house right now?"

"What am I supposed to do?" she asked helplessly. "Stay away and hope that he just leaves?" She sighed heavily and she walked towards her car. "I'm going home, regardless."

"What did he say to you?" Cynthia asked, somewhat uncomfortably. "I didn't hear, of course, but it looked a lot like he mouthed—" She faltered, unable to continue.

"Listen, I'm going to go get some sleep. Don't worry about me, okay?" Lisa tried to manage a smile as she slid into the driver's seat. She left Cynthia open mouthed in the parking lot and drove off.

As she turned down her street Lisa slowed the vehicle, cracking the window just enough to clearly observe her surroundings. There were no unfamiliar cars parked along the road or in neighbor's driveways. The lights were still off in her home, and so even if he was in there, she couldn't tell. She bravely parked the car in her usual spot and even got out, making sure that along with her keys, a bottle of pepper spray and her tazer were both on hand.

She entered the house with enormous caution, stepping slowly onto the wooden floor and checking all sides before flicking on the lights. Lisa went through the each of the rooms like this, sometimes twice to make sure he hadn't escaped her. But by the end of the search she could honestly believe that he wasn't in the house with her. So she went back to the living room, sat on her couch, and clutched her few weapons. Then, grabbing the remote, she decided to watch television, but only on a low volume.

However, the episode of Friends she was watching at two in the morning didn't help in keeping her awake. Fight it as she might, Lisa Reisert eventually fell into an unexpected and unwanted sleep.

To be continued...


End file.
